Last week, NJGOP gubernatorial primary candidate Jack Ciattarelli published on Instagram his enthusiastic support of President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Kash Patel as Director of the FBI. Jack even went a step further, stating his concurrence with Trump that Patel is “most qualified” to lead the FBI.
I defy Ciattarelli to offer one item of Patel’s experience that even remotely evidences his qualification for FBI Director. Even worse, Patel is an absolute unregenerate fascist, as established by four of his actions.
The first is his cult-like support of Donald Trump. The veneration of a strongman leader who must not be questioned is the primary aspect of any fascist regime.
The second and most highly publicized action signifying Patel fascism is his declared intention to criminally pursue and persecute journalistic critics of Donald Trump. This action does more than define Patel as a fascist autocrat, practicing the doctrine of retribution against the leader’s enemies. It also establishes him as a dire threat to American democracy and First Amendment civil liberties.
The third is Patel’s avowed intention to virtually dismantle the FBI. The destruction of democratic institutions like the FBI is a core component of fascism, and Patel makes no secret of his plans for FBI evisceration.
Specifically, he proposes to close the FBI headquarters in Washington and “open it up the next day as the museum to the Deep State.” Patel said the FBI should then leave about 50 people from its staff somewhere in Washington to help keep the agency running, and send the thousands of other employees into the field to join the 16,000 employees already there. This scuttling of the FBI is an inherent danger to the future of this venerated American institution.
Finally, Patel is an unrepentant denier of the 2020 presidential election. His intention at that time to deny the American people the right to be served by its then elected president Joe Biden established beyond any reasonable doubt Patel’s adherence to authoritarianism, a central feature of fascism.
During the last months of his first administration, Donald Trump was considering appointing Patel as FBI deputy director. The then Attorney General William P. Barr objected, saying that this appointment would take place “over my dead body.” Yet an appointment that was inane and grotesque even to Bill Barr is perfectly satisfactory to Jack Ciattarelli.
In fact, in totally bizarre fashion, the Republican candidate for Governor has described Patel as an agent of reform. What does this tell you about the kind of people Ciattarelli would select, if elected governor, as members of his cabinet? This exhibits Jack Ciattarelli’s lack of judgment and unfitness for the governorship of New Jersey.
It brings me no small amount of sadness to make this observation. In the 2017 Republican gubernatorial primary, Jack Ciattarelli ran as a principled anti-Trump candidate and won my admiration. Unfortunately, Ciattarelli proved to be a man whose ambitions vitiated his principles.
A column I authored during the 2021 campaign described Ciattarelli’s obsequious efforts to appease and appeal to MAGA voters, even going so far as to attend a MAGA Stop-the-Steal rally. His endorsement of Kash Patel proves that there are no limits to Ciattarelli’s Trump sycophancy.
Our next governor must be a person of courage and judgment in order to defend New Jersey against Trump’s forthcoming assault against Jersey values and resources. We witnessed over the past decade Jack Ciattarelli’s devolution and transformation from a man who had these leadership qualities into a pathetic political poltroon. His cheerleading for Kash Patel is further conclusive evidence of his unfitness for the position of the Garden State’s Chief Executive.
Alan J. Steinberg of Highland Park served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. He graduated from Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin Law School. Alan served as a Lieutenant in the US Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He is the host of the Dynamic Political Centrism podcast, published on Substack.
Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for governor in New Jersey, has recently come under scrutiny for his support of Kash Patel as the potential new FBI Director. Patel, a former aide to President Donald Trump, has a controversial past that has raised concerns among lawmakers and national security experts.
Patel first gained attention during his time working for the House Intelligence Committee, where he was accused of pushing conspiracy theories and undermining the Russia investigation. He later joined the Trump administration, where he played a key role in efforts to discredit the Russia investigation and the impeachment inquiry.
Ciattarelli’s endorsement of Patel as a potential FBI Director has raised eyebrows among both Democrats and Republicans. Some see it as a sign that Ciattarelli is aligning himself with the more extreme elements of the Republican Party, while others question Patel’s qualifications for such a crucial national security position.
In a statement, Ciattarelli defended his support for Patel, saying that he believes Patel is a “patriot” who would bring a fresh perspective to the FBI. However, critics argue that Patel’s track record suggests he may not be the best choice to lead the nation’s top law enforcement agency.
The controversy surrounding Ciattarelli’s support for Patel highlights the broader debate within the Republican Party about the direction it should take in the post-Trump era. While some Republicans are eager to distance themselves from Trump and his allies, others continue to embrace figures like Patel who have been closely associated with the former president.
As the race for governor in New Jersey heats up, Ciattarelli’s ties to Patel are likely to become a key issue for voters to consider. The outcome of the election could have far-reaching implications for both the state and the national Republican Party, as it grapples with how to move forward in a post-Trump world.
